'I almost became Spain coach' - Benito Floro

The former Real Madrid boss has revealed that he came close to taking the Roja job prior to Luis Aragones' appointment in 2004

EXCLUSIVEBy Khalis Rifhan

Former Real Madrid boss Benito Flores has revealed that he came close to becoming Spain coach in the wake of Euro 2004.

Luis Aragones eventually took the post vacated by Inaki Saez, who had recommended the 60-year-old for the post upon taking up a role with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

“After the European Championship in Portugal, the coach [Saez] resigned and he became director of football, and he recommended [to the RFEF] that I became the new head coach of Spain," he told Goal.com.

“He recommended me due to my vision of the game and [how] my playing style fit in well with the way the youth teams were being prepared, which was the main reason for the massive success of the Spanish national team.

“But unfortunately, due to circumstances that were beyond my control at that time, it was not possible.”

Floro went on to discuss the high standard of coaching instruction in Spain, in which he plays an active role as a mentor.

“Fifty years ago in Spain, the federation created a school for coaches of the highest level with highly qualified instructors of the highest level in the three most important aspects of football - strategy, technical ability and physical preparation,” he explained.

“Because of this, the standard of coaches in Spain is very high due to the difficulty levels of the coaching courses in Spain.

“Sooner or later this had to yield its fruits, and people now understand that it is much better to play an attacking combination game instead of say, counterattacks or long ball attacks.

“My work as a coach and instructor isn't for me to judge; however, it is evident that what I have learned from my instructors, I put into practice on the field and with aspiring coaches that I myself instruct.

“A coach has two important missions: teach his players to improve on an individual basis daily and also to teach his team to play whatever way they need to, on any kind of pitch, in any kind of circumstances to obtain the desired result."